The River of Integration is a metaphor conceptualized by Dr. Dan Siegel (from his book Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation, 2010), that describes how we as humans could travel successfully on “the river of life,” due to our work to achieve functional, adaptive, stable and “the best use of our energy” outcomes.

By identifying, integrating then choosing to live by our “Agape-oriented values,” we position ourselves to accomplish our personal and relational goals and objectives versus getting bogged down in thoughts, feelings and behavioral processes that are aligned with Chaos, Rigidity and other character defects or maladaptive and characterological behaviors.

So in wanting to keep this post short and sweet, here are five things I wanted to share about the River of Integration.

1. Being “centered” when you’re in the River of Integrationas well as your successful navigation toward your personal and relational goals is heavily dependent upon you integrating or giving your brain flexible, adaptive, coherent and stable options (or any other Agape-oriented values) to draw upon to guide, inform and assist you on your journey.

Think about it, the next time you have a conflict with another person, try to integrate and apply values like kindness, consideration, and compassion (they work better) versus sarcasm, being cold or belligerent.

2. Having awareness, insight and knowledge about which of yourmaladaptive schema(s) are triggered (likeFailure, Unrelenting Standards, Subjugation, Shame, Defective, Vulnerable to Harm, etc.) provides you with the opportunity to change your thinking, feeling and behavior by immediately utilizing your Agape-oriented values (like Acceptance, Cooperation, Honor, Gentleness, etc.) to prevent you from getting stranded or shipwrecked on the shores of Chaos or Rigidity.

In order to change, replace or eliminate unhealthy thinking and subsequent unhelpful behaviors, you’ll want to know what unhealthy thought process(es) are being triggered inside of you, that lead you subtlety or drastically toward the shoreline of Chaos or Rigid behaviors. Giving yourself the gift of Awareness, and paying attention to your feelings and thoughts will reward you with productive outcomes when you reflect on, then do the “next right thing” that the situation and your values have determined.

a. They help you to be internally aware of your thoughts and feelings so you can accurately “read and report” what your internal thermometer reading is, and they…

b. …Give your brain more resources to draw upon to help you to emotionally regulate yourself, because after you’re calmer, your logical left hemisphere helps your activated right hemisphere (but primarily “lower and survival-oriented” parts of your mind-brain system) to make better decisions for you and others involved,…

c. …Which helps to increase what Dr. Siegel calls your “Window of Tolerance,” because patience is a virtue highly sought after, and is very useful and necessary when your situation calls for you to demonstrate…

d. …Greater “Response Flexibility” (again, Dr. Siegel), which is really helpful when you need to stay in your “68° – 72° range” of Agape-oriented behaviors, which helps you to resolve conflict with those you love!

e. Dr. Siegel identified values connected to the acronym “COHERENCE,” which when demonstrated provide you with the ability to be flexible, adaptive, coherent, use your “brain energy” effectively, and they facilitate internal and interpersonal stability.

4. Cruise ships have baggage weight limits, and your journey and ability to stay centered and afloat on the River of Integration will be better served with fewer “rocks of resentment.” Packing, using then becoming proficient with more “bio-psycho-social-spiritual” tools that help you to be mindful, strategic, intentional, deliberate and wise with your actions will help you to establish new patterns of behavior that suggest a positive transformation is occurring in your life.

Think about it: Wouldn’t you rather use your energy to sit, talk, “brainstorm,” strategize then implement solutions for yourself and with others versus arguing, criticizing, demeaning, denigrating or character-assassinating your partner? Which is more empowering?

5. Finally, remember that the consistent practice of your Agape-oriented values will serve as acompass, map, rudder, oar, flotation device, lantern, flare, fluid/food to rehydrate and replenish your body and brain, and even function as uploaded podcasts or entertainment to your system’s hard drive to help make your life journey more doable and enjoyable.

Have you planned and packed adequately to stay in the midst of the River of Integration, and thereby avoid unnecessary experiences with all that accompanies the character defects of Chaos and Rigidity?

Even though we all drift toward the shores of Chaos and Rigidity, and sometimes travel in the wrong direction when our boat hits the shore,we don’t have to stay stuck in turmoil or worse, create hardness in our person or with our actions.

We can choose to get back to work, which means getting back in the boat, identifying and integrating then using our Agape-oriented values to realign our thinking and decision-making ability, thenrow consistently into the right directionas demonstrated by our application of behaviors that make sense to us and others. All aboard? Let’s go!

About Dr Ken McGill

Dr. Ken McGill is an ordained minister and has been involved in counseling for more than 25 years.
Dr. McGill holds a Bachelor's degree in Religion from Pacific Christian College (now Hope International University), a Certificate of Completion in the Alcohol and Drug Studies/Counseling Program from the University of California at Los Angeles and a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University.
Dr. McGill received his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Family Psychology from Azusa Pacific University in May, 2003. Dr. McGill's dissertation focused on the development of an integrated treatment program for the sexually addicted homeless population, and Ken was "personally mentored" by dissertation committee member Dr. Patrick Carnes, a pioneer in the field of sex addiction work. Dr. McGill authored a chapter in the text The Clinical Management of Sex Addiction, with his chapter addressing the homeless and sex addiction.
Dr. McGill is also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the States of Texas and California and Mississippi, and is a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, through the International Institute for Trauma and Addictive Professionals (IITAP).
Dr. McGill had a private practice in Glendora, CA (Aspen Counseling Center), Inglewood, CA (Faithful Central Bible Church), and Hattiesburg, MS (River of Life Church), specializing in the following areas with individuals, couples, families, groups and psychoeducational training: addictions and recovery, pre-marital, marital and family counseling, issues related to traumatization and abuse, as well as depression, grief, loss, anger management and men's and women's issues.
Dr. McGill also provided psychotherapeutic treatment with Student-Athletes on the University of Southern Mississippi Football and Men's Basketball teams.
Dr. McGill served as the Director of the Gentle Path Program, which is a seven-week residential program, for people who are challenged with sexual addiction, sexual anorexia, and relationship issues. Dr. McGill also supervised Doctoral students in the Southern Mississippi Psychology Internship Consortium with the University of Southern Mississippi.
Dr. McGill was inducted into the Azusa Pacific University Academic Hall of Honor, School of Behavioral and Applied Sciences, in October, 2010.
Dr. McGill currently works as a Private practice clinician with an office in Plano, Texas, providing treatment with people who are challenged in the areas mentioned above.